Are you ready to get loud? HKI's popular open mic night returns this Friday, June 26, at 7 pm. Bring your voice, your ears, and your heart to The Center (1660 N 2501st Rd in Ottawa), and get ready to live OUT LOUD.

We are less than 40 days away from Pride Fest, and our new 2026 Pride Tees are ready for purchase! Fan of cryptids? Pick your favorite and place your order (color selections on the website). These can ship nationwide, or you can pick them up right here in Ottawa at SS Shirts N More.

🚨NEW PROGRAM ALERT🚨 Stories are powerful. Share yours at Out Loud, our new open mic night! Share your story. Read a poem. Sing a song. It all builds the kind of community that's so critical right now. It all starts Friday, April 24th, at 7 pm, at The Center (1660 N 2501st Rd in Ottawa).

Happy Friday! Lea Anne here, speaking directly to my fellow cishet folks. Ally is not a title you can claim for yourself. (The title shouldn't even be the point, but anyway.) It's something you have to prove yourself worthy of through your actions.

The Center will be closed today (Dec 28). Sorry for any inconvenience!

At HumanKIND Initiative, 2025 has been a busy year of serving, celebrating, and planning for the future. We have helped more people in one way or another in the past 5 months than we could have ever imagined, and the momentum is building. #GivingTuesday /1

Our 2nd Annual Pride Prom is Saturday, February 21st, and we are taking it back to the 80s! We are decking out The Center, and now's your chance to attend the Prom as your true self (if your school missed out on the fantastic opportunity of meeting the real YOU). www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticket...

Don't be the only one without ticket to Santa's Slay this New Year's Eve! We have people buying these as gifts, but, more importantly, for themselves (don't forget to treat yourself this Holiday season). Go to www.zeffy.com/.../santas-s... and buy yours today.

Ring in the New Year's with HumanKIND! Game tournaments, karaoke, food, and laughs--the best way to start a new year. Add a welcoming atmosphere where you can be yourself and this is THE best spot to be to welcome 2026. We may even have a surprise or 2 that night....see you then!

Have you signed up for our newsletter? The HumanKIND Initiative delivers a monthly Cup O' Kindness directly to your inbox. It's a great way to keep up to date on what we're doing and how you can get involved. Sign up here: www.humankindinitiative.org

Home - The HumanKIND Initiative

Located in the heart of the Illinois Valley, the Ottawa Family Pride Festival is an entire day of family-friendly events celebrating Pride.

humankindinitiative.org

Today the HumanKIND Initiative celebrates the legacy of Sylvia Rivera (1951-2002). As a trans Latina who spent much of her life homeless, Rivera was particularly sensitive to the struggles of trans people of color and those living in poverty. /1

There's still time to reserve your canvas at Paint with Spirits! BYOB or purchase non-alcoholic drinks and a variety of great snacks from our concessions stand...including delicious Pine Hills pizza. /1

Join HumanKIND Initiative at our *free* Halloween Spooktacular on Saturday, October 25. Bring the kids, grandparents, siblings, your neighbors: this event has something for everyone. Including an outdoor screening of the classic film Hocus Pocus at dusk! /1

Today the HumanKIND Initiative celebrates the legacy of Henry Gerber (1892-1972), founder of the first documented gay rights organization in America: the Society for Human Rights. /1

Being a tween can be hard--you're not a kid, you're not a teen, and you're trying to figure out who you are and where you fit into the world. Finding the right book can be a huge help! The books here are just a few of the great middle grade titles that feature LGBTQ+ characters or themes. /1

Many of the titles on today's feature are probably familiar--they're among the most frequently banned books in recent years. Strong LGBTQ+ voices are more important than ever, and reading LGBTQ+ memoirs and nonfiction is a great way to become a more compassionate, kind person. /1

Be ready to slay the bloodthirsty competition at trivia! It's all Buffy at The Center this Thursday, October 9, from 6-8 pm. Get tickets early at www.zeffy.com/ticketing/trivia-thursday or message us to know you'll pay in cash at the door. No I'm not sorry for the puns. /1

Trivia Thursday

Grab a group of your smartest friends (or at least throw a couple of smart ones in the mix) and join us every other Thursday for TRIVIA THURSDAYS at The Center! Teams of up to 10 brains can sign up to...

zeffy.com

HumanKIND Initiative@humankindpride.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Thursday Trivia in October kicks off with everyone's favorite vampire slayer. Want to prove your Buffy Megafan credentials and win some cold hard cash while fundraising? Register ahead at Www.zeffy.com/ticketing/trivia-thursday OR send us a message to RSVP and pay in cash when you arrive!

Romance books can be warm and cozy, sizzling and spicy, and everything in between. And they can come in nearly any genre, from historical to fantasy to comedy. LGBTQ+ romance books are no different! Check out one of the following titles to make your heart (and maybe other parts) sing. /1

Our Banned Books Week celebration of LBGTQ+ books continues with a look at children's books. You're never too young to see your family represented in a picture book, and know that you belong and are loved. /1

Today we recognize the 2025 Stonewall Award winners. The Stonewall Book Awards, sponsored by the American Library Association's Rainbow Round Table, is the first and most enduring award for LGBTQ+ books.

Books are a critical vehicle for LGBTQ+ creative expression, and LGBTQ+ representation on library shelves is vital to creating a world where are people are treated with respect and kindness.

Want to stay on top of everything going on with HumanKIND Initiative and The Center? Sign up for our monthly e-Newsletter! Go to www.humankindinitiative.org and fill out the newsletter request on the main page! Simple as that. New issue drops October 1, full of news and events. Don't miss a minute!

Home - The HumanKIND Initiative

Located in the heart of the Illinois Valley, the Ottawa Family Pride Festival is an entire day of family-friendly events celebrating Pride.

humankindinitiative.org

Thursday Trivia in October kicks off with everyone's favorite vampire slayer. Want to prove your Buffy Megafan credentials and win some cold hard cash while fundraising? Register ahead at Www.zeffy.com/ticketing/trivia-thursday OR send us a message to RSVP and pay in cash when you arrive!

Calling all fiber artisans & crafters! Starting Sunday, October 5, you can join your fellow enthusiasts the new Fiber Arts Craft & Chat group. Bring your current project to The Center anytime between 10 am and 1 pm for cozy crafting and conversation in a safe, welcoming environment.

Spooky Season is upon us! It's time for HumanKIND Initiative's first Paint & Sip...er...we mean Paint with Spirits! Join us on October 18th from 6-8pm at The Center as we all transform thrift shop paintings into spooky renderings. Get your tickets at www.zeffy.com/ticketing/paint-with-spirits

If you love Halloween as much as we do, you'll want to SAVE THE DATE for the HumanKIND Halloween Spooktacular on Saturday, October 25. It's going to be a ghoulishly good time.

Trivia is tonight! DID YOU KNOW that all those factoids cluttering up your brain can be a powerful force for real change in the world? It's true! Read the thread to find out WHY, then register your team at www.zeffy.com/ticketing/trivia-thursday

Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love trivia tomorrow! You're only a day awayyyy Preregister your team at www.zeffy.com/ticketing/trivia-thursday

HumanKIND Initiative@humankindpride.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Throw on your leg warmers and put The Spice Girls on stereo, because Trivia is going back in time to the 80s & 90s. Sign your team up ahead of time at www.zeffy.com/ticketing/trivia-thursday or pay when you get there. The concession stand will be open--including Pine Hills pizza! It'll be boss.

Throw on your leg warmers and put The Spice Girls on stereo, because Trivia is going back in time to the 80s & 90s. Sign your team up ahead of time at www.zeffy.com/ticketing/trivia-thursday or pay when you get there. The concession stand will be open--including Pine Hills pizza! It'll be boss.

Doctor's orders! 🔴Rainbow Quills Writing Group 🟠Thursday, August 21 🟡 7 pm 🟢The Center 🔵1660 N. 2501st Rd, Ottawa, IL 🟣All writers welcome! Hosted by local self-published author L. A. Guettler.